Choices
by gooseberry4613
Summary: After waiting six long years for her to call to him, Jareth has begun to lose hope. Still, his duties as the Goblin King have not changed. The familiar pull of a summons meant he must return to her world but he never dreamed what was waiting for him Above.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the first fanfic that I am posting. I have a few floating in various stages, but this is one of my complete stories and I figured I should put it somewhere besides my hard drive. **

** All rights for the characters and main cannon go to Jim Henson and Lucasfilms (all Disney now). **

* * *

Jareth stood on the balcony observing the everyday bustle of the Goblin City. It was something that had always comforted him, but the experience had been bittersweet since she had run his Labyrinth. There were small reminders of her throughout his kingdom but nowhere as prominent as within the city walls. Years later, boulders were still strewn about the city. Instead of cleaning up the mess the girl had left in her wake, the goblins had incorporated the rock into their daily lives. He could not blame them, it was simply their nature.

Knowing that did not help keep his feelings at bay. In the wake of her victory he had held onto the bitterness and anger from his defeat and her rejection. Those feelings had since turned to heartache and loss and he knew why. Only days after she had returned to her home he had _the dream_. It was unlike any other he had ever experienced and every minute detail tormented him to this day.

_He was in the Labyrinth, he knew that much for certain. Yet, he had never seen this field before and it concerned him that the Labyrinth still hid secrets even from him. He had thought the sentient mind of the great maze had accepted him but it appeared not as completely as he assumed. It was beautiful in this place. Tall grass peppered with delicate wildflowers blanketed the gentle slope that he was standing on. Below him was a lone tree next to a small pond. The tree itself could be considered ugly – its branches gnarled and imposing. Yet, in this setting it was beautiful._

_As he made his descent to the quiet spot he realized that he was not alone. A figure stood at the edge of the pond, staring into the crystal waters. The distance was too great to know who she was, but it was clear that she was female. As he drew closer he noted the dark chocolate locks and petite frame of an adolescent and stopped short._

_It couldn't be the witch that had bested him. How dare she invade his realm once more? As if sensing she was not alone, the wench turned and emerald eyes met mismatched blue. He gasped at the intensity of their color only to realize that she had been crying – the green contrasting intensely against the red. He wanted to feel happy that she was upset, to gloat in whatever misfortune had befallen her, but he found that he could not. Rather he felt a desperate urge to comfort her._

_They stood for an eternity, just gazing at each other. Finally he broke the silence, "Why have you come to the Labyrinth, Sarah?"_

_"I didn't say the words, I promise that I didn't." Her voice quivered with fear and he cringed, knowing that it was fear of him and his kingdom. "Please," she begged, "Please tell me Toby is safe."_

_"The boy isn't here. Only you … and I would know why." His words were harsh and dripping with the anger that still blanketed his heart._

_"I don't know," she confessed. "All I remember was going to bed and then I was here."_

_Suddenly he understood. They were both dreaming. A shared dream was a rare occurrence, but not impossible. Somehow they had both been drawn to the same place. "It is just a dream," he stated bluntly. Whether to quell her fears or to confirm his suspicions he was not sure._

_"A dream?" she sniffled. In that moment he was reminded how innocent she still was. _

_"Yes, a dream." Suddenly he realized that he had an opportunity that he thought he would never have. A chance to know. "Though I wonder why it is that you are dreaming of me?"_

_The question startled her and she stuttered, unable to answer. He pressed on, "Could it be guilt? Does your subconscious wish to apologize?"_

_"You stole my brother! I won him back fair and square," she screamed, her stubborn fire returning._

_"I merely took what was offered while you turned my subjects into traitors and devastated my kingdom to take it back. I hardly see how that is 'fair and square' as you so eloquently put it." The bitterness he felt made it easy to slip back into the role of villain. _

_"I couldn't leave Toby. Don't you understand? How can I feel guilty about correcting a horrible mistake?"_

_"Well, Sarah, if it is not guilt, then why bring me into your dream? Why return to my kingdom?" _

_She closed her eyes and hung her head. The internal battle raging showing through as clear as day. Finally, she looked back up at him and closed the distance between them. "Dance with me?" she pleaded._

_For the briefest of moments he wanted to refuse, to reject her like she had him. When she touched his arm, all thought of refusal disappeared. Gently he brought her hand to his, snaking his fingers through hers. His free hand dropped to her waist and he slowly began to move them to a silent melody. _

_It was the same dance as the Crystal Ballroom, only this time there was no baby to rescue, no courtiers to leer at them, nothing to ruin the moment. Slowly they spun through the tall grass, oblivious to their surroundings. The unheard melody drew to a close and he stopped, unable to release her for fear of losing her once again. But this time she did not bolt, instead she looked at him with an emotion that he had only wished to see before this moment._

_"Jareth, I –" she whispered._

_"I know," he promised huskily. Deciding to collect the ending he had designed for the peach dream, he pulled her tight to him and stole the kiss he had wanted for so long._

_He felt the change in her body as the initial shock wore off and she relaxed into his arms. She placed her hands on his face and drew him closer. He needed no further invitation and deepened the kiss, pleased when she did not resist his tongue's demand for entry._

_ He could not say how long the kiss lasted but he felt his resolve diminishing with every second that passed. He heard her moan in protest when he pulled back. "Sarah," he sighed. "If I don't stop now I can't promise that I will be able to."_

_She grabbed his shirt in her fists and buried her face in his chest. She was silent for some time and he simply rested his head on hers accepting that the kiss would be their last. He felt her stir and looked down._

_"Jareth, please don't," she begged._

_"Don't what?" he asked, not understanding._

_"Please don't stop," she pleaded._

Jareth, sighed, remembering the way they had surrendered to each other. In those moments he had realized what he refused to acknowledge before. Her desires had changed in those thirteen hours. She wanted to stay but could not sacrifice her brother. As the dream had dissolved around them, their bodies still entwined, so did his anger and bitterness. But that was six years ago. She had barred herself from him with those damned words. He was powerless to find her unless she called and in all this time she had not. He feared that she never would.

The familiar sensation brought him back to the here and now. It was a summons and he was duty bound to answer it. The goblins came bounding into the castle, but he dismissed them. He was in no mood for the full theatrical act. This wisher would be given the ground rules and nothing more. His simple poet's shirt and breeches changed into the Goblin Regalia and he transported Above.

He appeared in what was clearly a young girl's room but it was lacking a child. Or so he thought. From the shadows behind him came a small squeak. "You're him aren't you? You're the Goblin King."

The voice was wrong, it was small and frightened, but the words were familiar. They were her words. He ignored the pain in his chest and turned to find the source. What he found startled him. Hiding in the corner of the room was a girl of no more than five. She was a pretty child, slight of build with blonde curls spilling down her shoulders. But it was the girl's eyes. They were a haunting emerald green that he had last seen in his dreams.

"You know me, child?" he asked coolly.

"Mommy has told me stories," she offered weakly still afraid to come out of her hiding spot. For the first time he realized that it was odd she was hiding, the girl should not have known he was coming. Then he heard the crash and the scared whimper of the girl. "Please, you have to help Mommy. He is hurting her again."

The situation suddenly became clear. The child, like many of the unwanted, was living in an abusive home. Yet, there was not a mark on her. He knew it was the mother who had wished the girl away and now he understood it was to protect her. "I cannot interfere. Your mother wished you to come with me. We must leave."

"No!" she screamed, running past him with unexpected speed and agility. Before he could react the girl was out the door running towards danger. Refusing to allow the innocent child to come to harm he followed.

"Ella, go back to your room!" demanded a masculine voice. It was followed by a muffled female voice and another crash.

"Daddy stop!" Ella pleaded. "Don't kill Mommy!"

Jareth entered the room and froze the monster that had changed targets from his wife to his daughter. The man stood with his arm coiling back and Jareth examined the living statue with disgust. He was far too young, not much older than twenty if he guessed right. In his moment of distraction, Ella had run to the woman who was lying unmoving on the floor.

Her face was down but it was her hair that he noticed first and his world stopped. It couldn't be. He found himself kneeling over the limp form of the mother, desperately hoping that he was wrong as he rolled her over. When he saw her face he felt his heart break.

Cradled in his arms was the battered, defeated body of his Sarah. She was breathing but just barely. Reaching out with his magic he felt the internal bleeding and cursed. Ella's fears were reality, Sarah was dying.

"Please help her," the child sobbed.

At the sound of her daughter's voice, Sarah stirred. Her eyes opened and she smiled, realizing who it was that was holding her. "Jareth," she whispered, "You came."

A violent cough racked her body and blood seeped through her lips. "Please," she weakly begged, "Please take care of her. Paul will hurt her once I'm gone."

The pieces fell into place and Jareth realized what she had done. Knowing that her husband was going too far, she had wished her daughter away to protect her. She had known the bastard would kill her. A rage that he had never felt before grew as he watched Ella weeping at her mother's side. He attempted to put Sarah down, intent on ripping Paul's heart out, but her cry of pain stopped him.

She needed help and she needed it now. She was beyond the capabilities of human doctor, but a Fae healer could save her. "Sarah, listen to me. I can save you but I need your help. I need you to accept the challenge of the Labyrinth."

She weakly laughed and instantly recoiled at the pain it caused. "In case you haven't noticed," she tried to joke, "I'm really in no state to face … dangers untold …" She had started to drift off and as much as it pained him he shook her to keep her awake. The pain brought her back and she cried out.

"Please Sarah," he begged, "I am bound by certain laws. I cannot take you with me unless you agree."

"Please Mommy," a small voice pleaded.

Sarah turned to her daughter and tears formed in her eyes. "I accept," she agreed.

Within a heartbeat mother and daughter were in his throne room, much to the surprise of the goblins lounging about the room. In theory, the laws decreed that Sarah was to be left at the gate. However, once they had returned to his kingdom, his word was law and no one would dare question his actions.

Sarah was unconscious in his arms and he needed to get her to the healer. "Send for Master Phineas now," he bellowed at the nearest goblin. "Tell him it is a matter of life and death." The goblin quickly bowed and disappeared.

He saw movement from the corner of his eye and noticed the pretty elf maid that had entered the room. He turned to the child that was clinging to his leg. "Ella, I would like you to meet Flora. She will be your nanny while you are here." The girl turned to the elf, clearly skeptical. "I need you to go with her," he gently commanded.

"But Mommy …"

"I promise you that your mommy is safe with me." He could tell it was difficult for her to trust him. It was no wonder with the type of man her father was. Finally, she nodded and made her way to the elf. "Flora, make sure she is taken care of."

"Of course, Sire." Flora curtsied before bending down to Ella's height to introduce herself properly. By the time she had ushered Ella from the room, Master Phineas had arrived.

The elder Fae took one look at Jareth and the dying woman in his arms and exclaimed, "What have you done?"

"Please, help her." The healer was taken aback by Jareth's response. Phineas had been with Jareth since he was born and considered the king like a son. Jareth knew he had been expecting sarcasm and callous words not a genuine plea.

Phineas examined the woman in Jareth's arms before stating, "She is human and dying. What happened?"

"Her husband," he replied bluntly.

Seeing he would not get more, the healer inquired, "Who is she? Why save her?"

"This is Sarah." No further explanation was needed and Jareth saw the shock and understanding on the healer's face. "Can you save her?"

"It is not too late, but we must hurry." Jareth followed the healer to his infirmary and laid Sarah on one of the beds. Phineas was gathering herbs and potions with a dizzying speed. "Hovering over her will only impede me. Now go!"

Jareth knew better than to argue and retreated to the hallway. A sudden feeling of helplessness swept over him only to be replaced by rage as he examined Sarah's blood on his clothing. In an instant he was back in the small apartment glaring at the man still frozen mid punch.

Sarah had married this human. She had chosen this scum over him. Why? There was nothing special about him. His dirt colored hair was slicked back with an excessive amount of gel. He was not ugly, but his face did remind Jareth of a rat. Refusing to free the man, Jareth strolled through the apartment.

It was small but not lacking. The furnishings were of a good quality and well cared for. He was drawn to a bookshelf containing several framed pictures. Most were of Ella, but one stood out. Their wedding picture. He knew that they were both young, but it surprised him that they had been married young as well. By the roundness of Sarah's belly, it was clear that Ella had been the reason.

She had been forced into the marriage; it was written on her face. She was smiling, but it was an act. Paul on the other hand seemed genuinely happy in the portrait. What had changed?

Ready to release his rage, he broke the spell holding Paul and took great pleasure watching him crash to the ground now that his intended target was long gone. Seething Paul picked himself up and turned to find Jareth casually leaning against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" the man bellowed. He then seemed to notice that they were alone in the apartment. "And where is that whore?"

"Your _wife_ and daughter are gone. I have seen to that."

Paul lunged towards Jareth, finding him a perfectly acceptable replacement. Jareth simply caught the man's fist in his palm and squeezed, pleased at the sound of bone cracking. Magic was not his only strength.

Clutching his fist and wailing in pain, Paul looked at the man who had invaded his home. Suddenly there was recognition in his eyes. "You," he growled. "It was you. I refuse to be made fool of a second time. Keep them for all I care."

Jareth had no idea what the man was babbling about nor did he care. "You will never touch them again, I will never allow it."

"No problem. I never want to see that whore again."

Hearing Sarah referred to as a whore for the second time was the breaking point. Before he could think about his actions, Paul's neck was in Jareth's hand. He could so easily end this man but he would not sink to that level. "If you ever lay a hand on another woman, I will know and I will find you. And trust me, if I do a broken hand is the worst of your problems."

Paul's eyes were full of fear as he made it clear he understood with what little breath he had. Jareth turned to leave but stopped. There was a picture of Sarah holding Ella as a toddler and he grabbed it before vanishing.

Per the laws that bound him, his interaction with Paul had to be erased. He reordered time, and instead of finding Sarah putting dinner on the table when he arrived home, Paul found her fretting over a missing ingredient. He watched as she fled from his rage to drive to the store, Ella in tow. But more importantly, he found himself staring at the hole he had punched in the wall in his grief and guilt when the call came that his wife and daughter had been killed in a fatal accident.

Their death in the mundane world was necessary. After all, Ella had been wished away and would not be won back. She would be staying Underground permanently and he was not going to let Sarah slip away again. He allowed his threat to Paul to remain subconsciously ensuring that he would never harm another woman again.

Jareth returned to the Underground only to find himself still barred from the room. He had checked on Ella to find her resting peacefully which left him nothing else to do but worry.

Several hours passed before Phineas finally emerged. "She is resting. Her injuries were severe – several organs had been damaged. Had she remained Above …" the healer left the rest unsaid. "Jareth, there is something you need to know. The girl is Fae touched – it is the only reason that she lived."

Fae touched? It was impossible. The only way was for her to be bonded and he could feel that she was not. "That is impossible. Her only contact with our world was her time here."

"I don't presume to be able to explain it, but she is. The moment she returned to the Underground, the magic began her transformation. It was the only thing that saved her."

If that is what saved her, he didn't care. She would live. Gently, he pushed past the healer, the elder Fae knowing better than to stop him. He looked down on her sleeping form. Phineas' potions had removed the cuts and bruises from her skin, eliminating all outward trace of her night. She appeared to simply be resting and it was enough to sooth his nerves. There was much that would need to be discussed, but for now they all needed their rest.

Quietly, Jareth placed the photo on the table next to her bed and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Come back to me soon, Precious."


	2. Chapter 2

Her eyes fluttered open and in the haze of sleep Sarah realized that she was in an unfamiliar place. The stark walls, beds, and medicine bottles hinted that she was in a hospital but she could not remember why. Suddenly, it all came back to her.

The fight with Paul. Somehow she had known that it was going to be worse than before. It was not the first time he had hit her, but part of her knew that it would be the last. Without her to vent his anger, she had feared for Ella. He had never actually touched Ella, but it had been threatened. Sarah had been afraid for her daughter and had done the only thing she could think of. She wished her away.

And he had come. Jareth had answered her wish once again. She shot up and took in a better inventory of her surroundings. She was in an infirmary, but it was not a modern human hospital. The shelves were lined with herbs and the bottles she had assumed were medicine were too gothic in style to be anything other than potions. She was in the Underground.

"Careful now," came a hauntingly familiar voice, "You are not quite done healing."

She turned to find Jareth standing at the entrance to the room. He was just as she remembered and she felt her breath catch. When her voice returned she asked, "Ella? Is she alright?"

He glided to her bedside and gently sat on the bed. "Ella is perfect," he assured. "In fact she is adjusting remarkably to her new life."

"Oh God. You didn't turn her into a goblin, did you?" The question sounded ridiculous even to her, but she knew that the thirteen hours were up.

His soft chuckle soothed her. "Sarah, I don't turn children into goblins. I never was quite sure where you got that idea from." She tried to argue that his words had implied the fact but he spoke before she could. "Ella has been well cared for and is still human. Well, partly."

Panic started to rise. Had he found out? Her distress must have been obvious because he grabbed her hand in an effort to comfort her. "There is much we need to discuss, but not now. For now you need to eat. Once you have and Phineas has checked on you, meet me in the gardens." His gloved hand found her face and she leaned into the caress. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips before he left. If she hadn't had enough proof already, his actions were enough to confirm that her dream had been real.

She turned and saw the picture that had been placed at her bedside. Of all of the pictures of her and Ella, this was her favorite because it was the one in which the girl most resembled her father.

The old Fae healer had come and gone, but Sarah still could not find the courage to find the gardens. She had spent the last six years hiding from the truth and she was still not quite sure she was ready to face it. When she felt like she could not linger any longer, she followed the directions that Jareth had written for her.

When she rounded the last corner she stood in awe of the sight before her. What Jareth had referred to as a garden was more of a meadow. A shockingly familiar meadow. Of all the places to confront her demons, it was fitting that this was it.

She heard a bubbling laughter and watched as her daughter came running towards her. "Mommy!" Ella squealed as she escaped from the woman who was with her and launched herself at her mother. Sarah caught her enthusiastically and spun her daughter, not wanting to let go. "You are ok! Mr. Jareth really did save you."

"Yes, Baby Girl, he did. He saved us both." She knelt down and looked into her daughter's eyes – the one feature that was undoubtedly hers. "Have you been good for him?"

"Of course," the girl promised.

They sat in the shade of the lone tree and Sarah listened to the stories of her daughter's encounters in the Underground. The sun was low in the sky when Flora returned to take Ella back to the castle for a nap. Something Sarah wished she had the luxury of.

She stood looking into the waters of the pond, glad that Jareth had allowed her time with Ella. "Sarah," he practically sung her name. She turned to find him standing on the hill and shivered at the feeling of déjà vu. "Do you recognize this place?"

"I could never forget it," she admitted. "The dream was real." Her tone implied a question, but she had known for quite some time that it was the truth.

"In a sense, yes. It was a shared dream. Physically we were not present but it was real." He was wrong of course. She knew that he was, yet she also knew that he was telling her the truth as he believed it. He motioned for her to come to him and she did not hesitate. When she was close, Jareth reached a hand to her and she instinctively flinched. He reacted to her action with anger. Not at her but at the life he had taken her from. His voice heavy with emotion he pleaded, "Why didn't you come to me? Why did you shut me out and choose that monster?"

She had wanted to be strong, the way he remembered her. But the years spent with Paul had drained the fight from her. "I didn't choose him, not really." His face left no question that he did not believe her. Exhaustion hit her suddenly but she could not be sure if it was physical or mental. "Jareth, there is a lot to tell. Please sit with me."

He winced at the fatigue in her voice. "Sarah, I was wrong to rush this. You need to regain your strength and this can wait."

"No," she argued with more force than she expected. "I have been running from the truth for too long. You, of all people, deserve to hear this." She took a seat beneath the tree and she patted the ground next to her. After a moment's hesitation, he joined her.

"I really don't know how to begin other than to confess that what I did was done because I was afraid and too young. When I left the Underground, I thought I was going to be happy. I had an amazing adventure and I won Toby back. But all I felt was regret. And then I had that dream." She paused and allowed the memory to play through her mind. "After, I thought about you all the time. I realized what it was that I wanted but I thought it was just a dream, that the real you hated me."

"Sarah," he interrupted, "I never hated you. I could never hate you. I was angry with you, but it was never hate."

"I know that now. But I didn't then, even after I realized that the dream was real."

Confused he questioned, "What do you mean?"

"About two weeks after I realized I was pregnant."

"Sarah, even with a shared dream that is not possible, your physical –"

"Damn it Jareth! With the exception of what happened in that dream I had never been with anyone. What kind of girl do you take me for?" Her outburst drained her and she broke into a coughing fit. She suddenly found herself wrapped in his arms, his concern keeping the news she had just shared from sinking in.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Perhaps we should continue this later?"

"No. I need to finish this now. I was fifteen and pregnant. Once I realized that my dream must have been real, I panicked. I still didn't believe that you wanted me as more than a fling. Something that I have regretted for all of these years. I was scared and could not tell my parents the truth. I needed to find a way to explain it and then my father introduced me to Paul." She saw the hatred flash across his face and felt the desperate need to defend her husband.

"Jareth, you have to understand that Paul is a good man. What he became was my fault. I used him in the most horrible way I could and took away his freedom. Paul was the son of a partner at my father's firm and was a few years older than me. My parents wanted me to date and when I met Paul, I knew that I had been handed the perfect opportunity. He was the type who would always do the right thing and was someone my father already approved of. Not long after we started dating we … well, we slept together and I let him believe that I had gotten pregnant.

"Paul was a good man and I believe that he did love me at one time. He did the right thing and asked me to marry him. I felt guilty almost immediately and wanted to call out to you, but I had already ruined Paul's good name. We were happy for a time. When Ella was born, Paul was truly happy and loved her. He was an amazing father until she got older. She took after her real father so much that Paul figured it out. And once he knew, the anger changed him. The man that you saw, that was not the real Paul."

Jareth was silent for a long time and she could not blame him. He had just found out that he was a father. Finally, he said, "Ella is mine? I have a daughter." Then his gaze turned on her, his eyes filled with betrayal. "How could you keep her from me? How could you allow that man to beat you and endanger our daughter? I thought you were stronger, Sarah." His words cut her deeper than she thought they would. She had been strong once, but now?

"I was ashamed of what I had done, of how I handled everything." It was a weak excuse, and she knew it. "I was fifteen Jareth! I didn't know what I was doing. By the time I realized what I should have done, I was married and sleeping with another man. How would you have reacted if I called you then? When Paul started hitting me, I let him. I let him so he would not hurt Ella. I tried to wish her away, I tried so many times. But the words would always die on my lips. I was too selfish and too afraid. I couldn't lose her and I couldn't face you."

Her words were nothing more than sobs when she was finished and they only increased when he took her into his arms once more. She continued to cry until she had no energy left. She let the blackness take her and slept in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

Jareth sat by the tree with Sarah cradled in his arms. He looked down at the woman and thought of the small girl asleep in the castle. He had seen the changes in the girl and it had become obvious that she was not entirely human. Still, he had never dreamed the child was his. His anger returned and he tried to suppress it. Fae were notoriously infertile. His life was devoted to children but being a father had been nothing more than a fleeting wish until now. If she had only known how much Ella meant to him.

But she hadn't and she had been too young to even comprehend her situation. Thinking of what she had said dissipated his anger. She had sacrificed herself to protect their daughter. True she had panicked and made a terrible decision, but she had made the best choice she thought she could. He thought back to her wedding photo. Paul had been truly happy then. She could not have known that he would have turned into a monster. She believed that she created that monster and it was her guilt that had almost killed her.

He reached down and brushed the hair from her face. He had almost lost her. If she had not been Fae touched he would have. Now that he knew she had born the child of a Fae he understood. Normally the marking would have occurred during the conception to make the pregnancy easier, but their circumstance had been unique. He had worried that her contact with his world had been greater than he had known. Now he knew that she was and always had been his.

It should not have been possible. Dreams were entirely subconscious events. Still, as he thought back to the dream some part of him had always known that it had been more. The physical contact had been too potent. He had always assumed that the shared nature of the dream had caused the enhanced sensations, but that wasn't correct. It had never been a dream – the Labyrinth had transported them both to the meadow.

He had been able to locate the meadow immediately when he awoke just as he was able with any portion of the Labyrinth that he had physically visited. It was a necessary talent when ruling a kingdom that was constantly shifting. He had not thought about it then, but now it was a clear indication that his physical form had been in the meadow that night. The question was why had the Labyrinth chosen to reunite them.

_You needed an heir and I needed a Queen._

Hearing the Labyrinth's voice startled him. The creature had been distant the past few years. Hindsight made him realize why – he had not been protecting Its Champion. "So you took the choice away from me?"

_You had a choice. You could have refused the girl._

He sighed, defeated. "You and I both know that would never happen. Still, it is a miracle that she conceived."

_Not a miracle. I ensured it._

Shock settled over Jareth. Fae had searched for eons for the solution to their problem breeding. Discovering that the Labyrinth possessed that power was unnerving. "How?" he asked, unsure what more he could say.

_I told you long ago to never question my power. It was within my ability and it was clearly what we both wanted._

"Why not wait? She was too young. If you had only waited a few years –"

_Your wounded pride would have festered and clouded your judgment. You forced my hand._

The argument died on his lips as he remembered his anger and bitterness. If she hadn't admitted her feelings that darkness would have clouded his love for her. "You brought her here once. Why didn't you save her?" he pleaded.

_I had expended too much of my power, I could not. I had hoped as you did that she would call out to you. She is here now._

That she was. He looked down at the woman sleeping in his arms. She was his now but she bore scars that could not be wiped away with any potion. She had already shied away from his touch once and he knew that it would happen again. It was impossible to rewrite the timeline without changing Ella's entire life and it was far too dangerous to attempt that. He would need to break through the years of abuse and release the strength that he knew was still there. He had already promised to turn the world upside down for her, showing her the love she deserved was a simple task in comparison.


	4. Chapter 4

When Sarah woke she was in a bed and alone. Her darkest secret was finally exposed and for the first time in a very long while she felt _free._ The past six years had been full of anger and hatred first at herself and then at Paul. She still blamed herself for his descent but she was not a fool. She did not deserve that amount of abuse no matter what she had done. Still, she hoped that whatever happened to her husband that he would be happy.

She flipped back the covers and sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was no longer in the infirmary and examining the mahogany furniture and the crimson and black fabric that accented the room, she had no questions where she was. She prayed it was a sign that he had forgiven her. She had lost consciousness before he could say one way or the other.

His last words echoed in her mind. _I thought you were stronger, Sarah. _She had to become weak in her quest to survive, to protect Ella. She was a mere ghost of who she had been. How could he still possible want her? She knew that he would never take Ella from her and that had to be enough.

A dress had been laid out for her and she awkwardly fumbled with the lacings until she was satisfied that she was at least presentable. After sliding her feet into the matching slippers she peeked outside of the room and was thankful to find the hall empty. She had no idea where she was in the castle, but she decided that a little more time alone with her thoughts would be helpful.

The rowdy voices of goblins floated towards her warning of the impending end to her solitude. Her wandering had led her to the throne room and she smiled as a terrified chicken raced in front of her followed closely by a goblin. She stood at the door and peaked in, the sight before her warming her heart more than she had ever imagined.

Jareth was sitting in his throne, a beaming Ella on his lap as he spoke to her. As she watched, the words turned into a song and Sarah leaned against the door frame to listen. He had sung to her once and the sound had never left her heart. Lost in her memories she hadn't noticed that he had seen her until he beckoned to her.

He finished the song as she approached the throne and she realized that Ella had fallen asleep in her father's arms. The pride she saw in his eyes as he looked down at the girl sent a fresh wave of guilt coursing through her. "Jareth-"

"Shh," he interrupted. "It does not need to be said, Precious. I understand now."

"I still need to say it, if not for you, for me." When she knew that he would not stop her she said, "I'm sorry for everything. I should have called you. I should have trusted you."

He reached out to grab her hand and she pulled it back instinctively. He frowned but did not say anything. Cursing herself she grabbed his hand before he could pull it back. "I'm so sorry. It's not you, it's just …"

"As much as it pains me, I understand." He gently shifted so that he could stand and gently placed Ella down. She immediately curled up in the space he had vacated. Jareth turned to her, a gloved hand reaching out slowly to caress her face. "I can't change what was done to you, not without endangering Ella, but I will do what I can to ensure that you forget it."

"Why would you care?" she asked cautiously. "I hid your daughter from you and I put her in danger because I was too weak to lose her. I am not the girl you knew, Jareth."

"You are not weak and you never have been," Jareth growled surprising her with his anger. "The choices you made were ill advised but you sacrificed yourself for Ella. There is nothing weak about loving your child. While it is true that had you wished her away, I would never have left without you, I understand why you could not do it."

She couldn't stop the tears forming. She had never thought of allowing Paul to hit her as strong, but she also could not deny the times that she had distracted him from Ella or provoked him purposefully to keep his attention on her. She had simply thought it the least she could do since she was not strong enough to call to Jareth.

He wiped away the tears that had trailed down her cheek. "I want you to forget the actions of that man because I need you to be happy and," he hesitated before admitting, "My pride forced that life upon you."

"Jareth, it takes two to create a life. I have no regrets about that."

"That is not what I mean," he sighed. "I know now what happened that night. The Labyrinth transported us both to the meadow and ensured that Ella resulted from our union. It recognized that you were meant to be queen and seized the opportunity."

She was silent for a long time desperate to absorb what he had just told her. He must have taken her silence as anger as he desperately explained, "My defeat and your rejection wounded my pride more than anything else ever had. I had allowed anger to cloud my mind and if it had persisted it would have blinded me towards my love for you. It was my own arrogance that forced the Labyrinth to bring you back too young."

She found little comfort in knowing that Jareth felt it was his actions that had led them to where they were today. What she did find comfort in was what he had said without realizing it. He loved her. It was silly but she had needed to hear the words. She closed the distance between them and kissed him.

What started as a shy, uncertain kiss was quickly fueled by the need they had for each other. She had never loved Paul no matter how hard she tried and locked in Jareth's embrace she knew why. Her heart had always belonged to him and she was desperate to show him that through the kiss. When she reluctantly pulled away it was only to confess, "I have never stopped loving you either, Jareth."

A brief flicker of surprise crossed his features and she knew that he had not realized what was said. He smiled at her and kissed her again. "I wish I had the power to correct my mistake," he sighed when he pulled away from her.

"Our mistakes, Jareth," she corrected refusing to allow him to absolve her of her choices.

"Our beginning may not have started the way it was meant to be but that will change," he promised. He looked towards the child sleeping on his throne and smiled. "I know that there are challenges that we must face, but I have no doubt in my mind that we will overcome them no matter how long it takes. We will have our happy ending."

The certainty in his voice gave her strength that she had not felt in years. "We only have forever," she teased.

"Not long at all," he finished for her. "Though not nearly long enough."


End file.
